In Pakistan, Does LinkedIn help in getting jobs?

Almost all professional people have maintained LinkedIn profile, which is no doubt an organised quick read of their educations, skills, and abilities. But does it help in finding jobs. There is mixed response to it in Pakistan.

LinkedIn is a business and employment-oriented service that operates via websites and mobile apps. It provides user or member an option to create a well-organised and cleanly presented resume that has relevant information for recruiters.

But many users complain that despite of having worth-looking CVs, they are not being hired or approached because of it. It’s lovely to have a message every other day in inbox telling how many people have looked at your resume. But the free users would certainly want to see a bit more in terms of connecting with recruiters.

It’s almost a common practice that users now share their LinkedIn profile via email with potential recruiters instead of two-page word-document. Perhaps in that sense it helps better for free users.

Another important thing that they have taken care of is the option of giving references. Being a user, you can ask your boss, mentor to comment on your skills and abilities, which would work as a reference for you. That adds credibility. In addition, the company has made it more engaging, allowing users tp share news-stories on its timeline.

The question is whether the recruiters in Pakistan are considering it as an option or not. I asked on social media who has got a job because of their profile. Here are some interesting replies.

Van Xander, who works for an international development agency, said, “My impression is that it doesn’t reinvent recruitment or even makes it more efficient. In some ways, it makes it less efficient, because you still have to provide your resume in the interview. Recruiters use it the same way as back in the analogue days. In a nutshell, good for ego, helps somehow recruiters, does nothing for user.”

Amjad Qamar, who works in communication and advocacy, said “I have never got a job from any local or international recruiter through its website. They are earning money through users’ resumes.”

Shiraz Khan Rajput is working with a TV channel and has never got a job with the help of LinkedIn. I asked him why local recruiters don’t take it seriously. His response was, “Maybe the media industry does not have any interest in LinkedIn.”

However, the story is different for Madiha Javed and Adnan Momand. Madiha got two corporate jobs in Karachi because of her profile on LinkedIn. Adnan Momand from KP has got short term consultancies because of it. Ishtiaq khan from Mardan was interviewed thrice by different recruiters for job. But there were many respondents who just said “No” although they have maintained their profiles.

LinkedIn also provides paid membership, which is sort of exclusive club for job seekers, sales professionals, and recruiters. But that’s very expensive and I think it won’t be a good idea in Pakistan to sign in for $29.99 or $47.99 per month. The price for recruiters and sales professionals is much higher than for users. The company has crossed 500 million registered users but it still has to connect job seekers with recruiters in real world.